Golden retriever delivers 16 puppies

When the mother arrived at the hospital Monday morning for the scheduled C-section, overweight from carrying her offspring, she looked extremely uncomfortable.

Kathy Uek

When the mother arrived at the hospital Monday morning for the scheduled C-section, overweight from carrying her offspring, she looked extremely uncomfortable.

"She had swelling in her legs from all the pressure the babies put on her," said Dr. Marianne Martin, in charge of the delivery. "The mother's due date was Halloween but she was so pregnant, we had to take her early."

Two surgery technicians and five assistants helped Martin with the delivery. They were prepared for multiple births. After an X-ray four weeks ago, medical personnel stopped counting at 12.

"That's like two litters," said Indya Sheehan, owner of all the golden retrievers, who lives in Rowley. "A normal litter is between six and 10. I think the record is 23, but that was a mastiff or a St. Bernard - never a golden."

The 10 males and six females weighed in between 13 and 14 ounces, a little shy of the normal golden puppy weight of 17 ounces, said Martin. "One little girl was smaller, at eight ounces. She's a screamer and a fighter and will push all her big brothers around."

Charlene Devens of Millis, who owns the sire, Dalton, takes all her dogs to Slade Veterinary Hospital. So with the anticipated large litter, she scheduled an appointment for Retro. Slade, owned by veterinarian Anita Migday, is a general practice veterinary hospital for cats and dogs and has two doctors on staff who also do reproductive work.

"It was a planned breeding, but nothing artificial about it," said Sheehan.

With the double-digit delivery, Sheehan plans to change her schedule.

"It's going to be a lot of work and I have to take time off from work to care for them," said the dog groomer and breeder. "I'll have to help Retro clean the pups and make sure she's taking care of half, while I care for the other half. She'll have to nurse eight and a while later she'll switch to nurse the other eight. I'll supplement with bottle feedings."

Seven-year-old Dalton, the father of the 16 pups, is oblivious to all the excitement.

"He doesn't even know," said Devens, who owns the American and Canadian champion sire with her husband, John. "He's breeding another dog this week. So, he's onward and upward. He's looking forward and not back."

He didn't pace during the one-hour delivery. Devens and Sheehan didn't pace either, but they were anxious.

"I tried to keep her calm," said Devens. "It was exciting. I couldn't wait for it to be over. Every time I heard steps coming down the hallway, I jumped up. When they ever said, 16, I can't imagine the look on my face."

Now Sheehan has another doggie dilemma.

"As soon as she had them, I sent a text message to my friends at Petco in Woburn, where I work as a dog groomer, and told them to start thinking of names," said Sheehan.